S1: Chemotherapy Flashcards
What is systemic anti cancer therapy (SACT)?
Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) encompasses both biological therapy (therapies which use the body’s immune system to fight cancer or to lessen the side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments) and cytotoxic chemotherapy (a group of medicines containing chemicals directly toxic to cells preventing their replication or growth, and so active against cancer).
What does cytotoxic mean?
Literally translates into ‘toxic to cells’
What is chemotherapy?
The treatment of cancer using specific chemical agents or drugs that are destructive to malignant cells and tissues. The term comes from two words that mean “chemical” and “treatment.“
What are biological therapies?
Biological therapy is a type of treatment that uses substances made from living organisms to treat disease. These substances may occur naturally in the body or may be made in the laboratory. Some biological therapies stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection, and other diseases.
What is the ‘cell cycle’?
The cell cycle is an ordered sequence of events culminating cell growth and division into two daughter cells.
Both cancer and normal cells go through the division process known as cell cycle
Why does the cell cycle matter in cancer treatment?
- Many cytotoxic drugs only work on cells that are actively reproducing (not cells in resting phase G0)
- Some drugs specifically attack cells in particular phases of the cell cycle e.g. M or S
- Cancer chemotherapy drugs tend to be administered in combination as they act upon different phases of the cell cycle, which has the intention of causing maximum cell kill.
What are cell cycle phase specific drugs?
Agents that are most active against cells in a specific phase of the cell cycle.
What are cell cycle non-phase specific drugs?
Agents that are effective while cells are actively in cycle (not in G0), but not in any particular phase.
What are cell cycle non specific drugs?
Agents that are effective regardless of phase of cycle and in resting phase.
What do alkylating agents do?
Cell cycle non specific
- Damage the DNA structure and prevent replication
What do antimetabolites do?
Cell cycle phase specific (S)
- Prevent the cell from making the extra DNA needed for replication
What do cytotoxic antibodies do?
Cell cycle non specific
- Bind to DNA in G2 phase and prevents completion of synthesis
What do plant alkaloids do?
Cell cycle phase specific (M)
- Bind to cellular structure required for mitosis
What are targeted cancer therapies/molecularly targeted drugs?
Targeted cancer therapies are drugs or other substances that block the growth and spread of cancer by interfering with specific molecules involved in tumour growth and progression.
List some staff from a multidisciplinary team
- Medical team (medical and clinical oncologists, pathologists, radiologist)
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (usually key worker)
- Chemotherapy-trained nurses
- Pharmacist
- Dietician
- Counsellor
- Physiotherapist, occupational therapist
- Complementary therapy team
